[BargainHunter]

Just the thought of borrowing a designer purse from a website makes my stomach flip!

How do you know who used the bag before you or what they carried in it? I own my purses, I keep them in pristine condition, and I also carry my puppy in my bag! To me, borrowing a purse would be like sitting in a restaurant at a dirty table or eating from another person’s plate.

Elisabeth Leamy, Consumer Correspondent, ABC News' 'Good Morning America' wrote and published an article in August, 2006, titled “A Microbiologist Found Millions of Germs on Purses: The outside and the bottom of purses can be what one expert called "subways for germs."

According to Leamy, Microbiologist Chuck Gerba researches where organisms that make us sick lurk and lately he says he has found that germs gather on the outside of a woman's purse, especially on the bottom.

Microbiologist Chuck Gerba said, "We found fecal bacteria you normally find on the floor of restroom," he said. "We found bacteria that can cause skin infections on the bottom of purses. What's more amazing is the large numbers we find on the bottom of purses, which indicates that they can be picking up a lot of other germs like cold viruses or viruses that cause diarrhea.

"Using a hand-held germ meter, Gerba demonstrated how much bacteria can grow on a woman's purse for ABC News, with results that ranged from scary to downright terrifying. Health experts worry when the meter reads over 200, which means thousands of bacteria are present. He found thousands of germs on one woman's purse. She bought her bag about a month ago and Gerba's measurements showed her purse also carried thousands of germs. ABC News is not naming the women who participated in order to protect their identities. "I'll probably just get a new one," she said. Yet another woman has been carrying a handbag around for years and Gerba said that he found "hundreds of thousands of germs on the surface." Gerba found about half a million bacteria on the bottom of one woman's large bag.

Need I say more? I believe the Leamy and Gerba documentary says it all. And, I repeat, “Says it all!”

[GUNG]

EWW Gross! After I read this, I went straight to my can of antibacterial baby wipes and wiped down the purse I am using today. I think they are called Wet Ones

[missisa07]

I'm afraid to use certain cleaners on my expensive bags. =/ At the same time, as soon as you clean it, it will probably get germs again by the next day so it's really an endless cycle. As long as you wash your hands after you use the bathroom and before you eat, I don't see it being a huge problem. Unless you're someone that likes to lick the bottom of your bag, which is pretty weird.

Keep in mind there are just as many germs on your cell phone which you put next to your face.

[kneehighz]

Yep there are bacteria and germs everywhere. I wish the reports like this I see on tv (that make is sound so dramatic) would clarify that not all bacteria is even bad. I mean there's bacteria on your tongue..everywhere! So don't freak out. After learning there is fecal bacteria virtually everywhere I just re-learned to wash my hands before eating or when coming home. Not that its really necessary I also wipe my phone with Purel hand sanitizer lol. But can't do that on my precious bags! Just be careful where you put them

[snoopylaughs]

bacteria certainly is everywhere!

[kuruma]

Bacteria is everywhere, and I don't think you're anymore at risk borrowing a bag than handling anything else. I mean money is in circulation everywhere, and we still love it, and we go to public bathrooms which is also another happy breeding ground for bacteria. Like I said, bacteria is everywhere, and it doesn't matter whether it's in high concentrations or small concentrations, it's going to get us anyway.

While borrowing a bag isn't something i'd ideally do, I can see why some people want to. Some people just want that feeling of carrying a bag they simply can't afford, and I think that's great. It's better than risking debt to buy it. Some people just want to try the bag out before regretting a giant purchase, and I think that's a great idea too. I just feel as if this forum judges people who can't physically own a designer bag too harshly.

[kbell]

Bacteria is everywhere - but I personally will not put my purse down on the public restroom floor, counter, or anywhere else in there. I see purses on the floor sometimes in the next stall & think 'how gross' especially when the floor is obviously disgusting. That's why I can't borrow. I think people also take better care of something they own & invested in.

[jaderen]

Bacteria is everywhere - but I personally will not put my purse down on the public restroom floor, counter, or anywhere else in there. I see purses on the floor sometimes in the next stall & think 'how gross' especially when the floor is obviously disgusting. That's why I can't borrow. I think people also take better care of something they own & invested in.
Me too.

[Glamfoxx]

Seeing what some women put their bags through, I could never borrow either. I too have cringed at the sight of a bag sitting on the bathroom stall floor. And women who use the bathroom, then prance out without washing their hands, carrying their bags! Yuck! And everyone stuffs used tissues in their bag at some point, which is fine if it is only your bag... I don't exactly baby my bags, but some things like these I have listed are just beyond my scope of germaphobic tolerence.

[chloehandbags]

Originally Posted by kuruma

I just feel as if this forum judges people who can't physically own a designer bag too harshly.

I don't think that is the case (or, at least, I hope it isn't!); this forum is anti-fakes, but that doesn't mean that most of the members are anti-non designer bags!

There are even threads on great inexpensive bags.

Of course, some of those inexpensive bags might have been made with slave labour, but so are many inexpensive items, so that is another story.

[RueMonge]

Agree, bacteria is everywhere...toxins too. That why I like my "Hostess Theory" There are lots of preservatives in those little snack cakes, so if you consume them your body is also preserved and safe too. I see no problem with this theory.

[VCHIK]

Originally Posted by missisa07

I'm afraid to use certain cleaners on my expensive bags. =/ At the same time, as soon as you clean it, it will probably get germs again by the next day so it's really an endless cycle. As long as you wash your hands after you use the bathroom and before you eat, I don't see it being a huge problem. Unless you're someone that likes to lick the bottom of your bag, which is pretty weird.

Keep in mind there are just as many germs on your cell phone which you put next to your face.

ITA. Thank you for putting it in perspective.

[VCHIK]

Originally Posted by kbell

Bacteria is everywhere - but I personally will not put my purse down on the public restroom floor, counter, or anywhere else in there. I see purses on the floor sometimes in the next stall & think 'how gross' especially when the floor is obviously disgusting. That's why I can't borrow. I think people also take better care of something they own & invested in.

I bought a purse hook recently so I don't have to set my bag on the floor. But that only works if I can find a tabletop or counter. Now that I'm spending more money on my bags, I'm getting REALLY annoyed at the people who don't provide hooks in their restroom stalls. What do you do with your bag if there's no place to hang it while you use the restroom?

[kbell]

Well - none of my bags are giant & almost all have a shoulder strap - i'll either awkwardly balance it on my person whatever way I can (around neck, on arm, etc), switch stalls, or go handoff bag to my husband or who ever I'm with, or hang it on the door itself. Anything but the floor!! I'm really not a complete germaphobic but that really is disgusting when you think about it.
I've also seen many an industrial louvre spit stuff right back out onto the floor with it's overpowering flush..... nasty. I always back way up now b4 I flush or the auto flush kicks in.

[ChiChi143]

Gross! I'm always trying to find a place to put my bags besides the floor when I go to a restaurant. Sometimes I have no choice though & have to put it on the floor. Whenever I go to a restroom I have my SO hold my bag for me. I also wipe my bags down with baby wipes or clorox wipes everyday hoping it'll help with getting rid of some of the bacteria/germs.